Welcome to NachDaily with Iyov, perek 18. This is Bildad’s second response to Iyov.
The Malbim explains that Bildad is upset about Iyov’s denial of an afterlife and the immortality of the soul because if the soul does not live on, there is no difference between man and animal. Why would God create man “in His image” if there was no spiritual upside to our existence? Since God created man with more spiritual capabilities, we are set aside from the rest of creation. This should make it obvious to any thinking person that while the physical body decays, the neshama, soul, lives on.
Bildad feels that true success is only spiritual. Material and physical achievement is not considered a success. Whatever the wicked achieve in this world with material gain is only physical. As they are cut off from true, everlasting spiritual success, they ultimately suffer.
The Malbim notes that this is similar to Bildad's original argument, that the righteous suffer in this world in exchange for more reward in the World to Come.
Now for the perek.
The perek opens with Bildad telling Iyov to stop complaining and take the time to understand what his friends are saying.
In verse 4, Bildad challenges Iyov’s denial of an afterlife. “Toref nafsho b’apo halima’ancha teiazav aretz v’’yetak tsur mimkomo - You who, in your anger, tears apart your own soul - should God abandon the earth on your account?”
The Malbim says that this is a metaphor: if the earth were to crumble, its core would still remain intact. So too, when the body dies, the soul remains completely intact.
This is an important lesson for all of us. No matter what happens to us in life, at our core we remain completely unscathed, whole and healthy. Although it may be hard to believe, it is nonetheless true. The Neshama lies at the bedrock of our humanity. As it is a part of God, at our core essence we all remain connected to Him.
In verses 5 through the end of the perek, Bildad again says that the wicked prosper because their physical death mirrors their spiritual death. When life is over for the body, it's also over for their souls. They had lived a life completely disconnected from their spiritual essence. The spiritual neglect of the soul is in itself -punishment, therefore the wicked truly don't prosper.
Bildad goes into great detail explaining how the loved ones of the wicked also suffer.
In verse 12 says, “Yehi ra’eiv ono v’eid nachon litzalo - His offspring suffer, and an evil fate awaits his wife.” Ultimately, the rasha will die. His name and memory will be forgotten, and his legacy will not live on. As it says in the last passuk of the perek, “...this is what befalls the place of one who neglected to know God.”
Stay tuned to the next episode of NachDaily when we’ll learn Iyov’s second response to Bildad, the eleventh response overall in the sefer.
Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day.
